High BMI Could Make It Much Harder to Achieve RA Remission

HealthlineNews—November 24, 2014

By now, most of us know that maintaining a healthy weight — one that's neither too high nor too low — is vital for our overall wellbeing. But did you know that if you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), your body mass index (BMI) could affect the frequency and severity of symptoms?

In a statement at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting, Dr. Susan Goodman, a rheumatologist from Hospital for Special Surgery, where the study was conducted, said, "What's striking is that...all the patients in the underweight or overweight categories were much less likely to achieve sustained remission compared to those with a normal BMI. Patients who were severely obese had an even lower chance of achieving sustained remission. Individuals in the highest BMI categories also had more inflammation and more pain."

Why Is a Healthy BMI Important?

BMI is a major indicator of physical health. It can be used to screen for potential future health problems, but isn't typically used for diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control maintains that a healthy average BMI range is 18.5 to 24.9 for most adults.

This story originally appeared at healthline.com.